I can’t really remember how it all started, but hardly a day goes by without me thinking about or engaging in fly fishing or fly tying. It seems the sport has been the only constant in my life and even after nearly 40 years, there is no sign of it getting any less of an obsession. In fact it's just the opposite.

My education and training were all about art and design, but as my business career developed, fly fishing, fly tying, travel and photography became the creative release that I needed to take me away from boardrooms, accountants and bankers that seemed to plague the last 20 odd years of my life. 

Currently, I live, work and fish on the edge of Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. The main quarry here are Atlantic Salmon and Brown Trout. Within an easy drive we have Sea Run Brown Trout, Grayling and Sea Bass. I tie flies and fish for all of these. It’s a great place to be, I’m very lucky. I’ve developed a deep love of the river Usk and this valley. I don’t think I’ll be moving anywhere soon. 

Fly fishing is a beautiful sport, which if you let it as I have, will take you into some of the most mind blowing environments imaginable. Whether that be hunting Tigerish in Africa, Tuna in the mid Atlantic, Salmon in the wilds of Canada, Permit in the Caribbean or even those lovely buttery gold Trout in the river at the bottom of your road. You will experience the natural world on a level that will stay with you till the end.

My personal flies are simple and quick patterns, made with easily obtainable materials, all of them fishing flies. I like them to be practical but that doesn’t mean I don’t strive to make them as beautiful as I can.

I don’t tie flies commercially as such, though I do tie considerable numbers for friends and individuals who appreciate them. The pleasure of knowing that they have had success with one of my patterns is very satisfying. 

These days the satisfaction of teaching and sharing my knowledge has become very important to me. I actively look for ways of achieving this through Social Media, live streaming demos or tying lessons and through live demos at clubs or fly shows worldwide.

Over the coming weeks, some video’s of my patterns will appear here, I hope you enjoy them.

I will really miss being with you all in Galway this month, let’s pray that this time next year we will be back to normal.

Best wishes and best of luck to Elaine, Stevie and all their fantastic team for the Virtual Irish Flyfair 2020.

Paul
Email: paulslaney@me.com